Labelling machine

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a machine for labeling cans and other cylindrical type packages that are passed through the machine between guide bars by a rolling operation in a horizontal path and direction, passing in turn over a glue or heavy adhesive applying mechanism for initial label pickup, thence over a label pack and paste or light adhesive label pasting mechanism, thence over a label pressing pad to the discharge end of the machine. In this operation the glue or heavy adhesive is first applied to the cans or packages, the labels are then picked up in turn by the heavy adhesive on the cans or packages and rolled about the same, the light adhesive or paste is then applied to the opposite or lap end of each of the labels in a successive manner. The paste treated label lap ends are successively brought into engaged pasted contact with the cans or to the opposite ends of the labels forming a lap joint as they pass over the pasting mechanism and then finally pressed into close contact with cylindrical walls of the cans or package and thereafter delivered from the machine.

United States Patent [191 Neer [451 Nov. 4, 1975 LABELLING MACHINE Clifford H. Neer, Baltimore, Md.

[73] Assignee: Matter-Burt C0., Wayne, Pa.

[22] Filed: Dec. 3, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 420,979

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. Nos. 605,279, Dec. 28, 1966, Pat. No. 3,648,823, and Ser. No. 888,092, Dec. 24, 1969, Pat. No. 3,787,267. A

[75] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl. 156/453; 156/455; l56/DIG. 11 [51] Int. Cl? B65C 9/04; B65C 3/12 [58] Field of Search 156/453, 455, 578, DIG. 10,

156/DIG. 11; 118/504, 204, 261

Primary Examiner-Charles E. Van Horn Assistant ExaminerDavid A. Simmons Attorney, Agent, or Firm-J. Wesley Everett [57] ABSTRACT The present invention relates to a machine for labeling cans and other cylindrical type packages that are passed through the machine between guide bars by a rolling operation in a horizontal path and direction, passing in turn over a glue or heavy adhesive applying mechanism for initial label pickup, thence over a label pack and paste or light adhesive label pasting mechanism, thence over a label pressing pad to the discharge end of the machine. In this operation the glue or heavy adhesive is first applied to the cans or packages, the labels are then picked up in turn by the heavy adhesive on the cans or packages and rolled about the same, the light adhesive or paste is then applied-to the opposite or lap end of each of the labels in a successive manner. The paste treated label lap ends are successively brought into engaged pasted contact with the cans or to the opposite ends of the labels forming a lap joint as they pass over the pasting mechanism and then finally pressed into close contact with cylindrical walls of the cans or package and thereafter delivered from the machine.

4 Claims, 56 Drawing Figures US. Patent NOV.4, 1975 Sheet10f23 3,917,504

US. Patent N0v.4, 1975 Sheet20f 23 3,917,504

US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 3 of 23 3,917,504

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e04 600 398 v 3 605 602 so:

US Patent Nov.4, 1975 Sheet60f23 3,917,504

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U.S. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet9of23 3,917,504

US. Patent N0v.4, 1975 Sheet 10 of23 3,917,504

US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet11of23 3,917,504

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it lmm um U.S. Patant Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 15 of 23 3,917,504

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U.S. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 19 of23 3,917,504 

1. IN A CAN LABELING MACHINE, A SUPPORT FOR THE CANS AND A FEED BELT FOR MOVING THE CANS LONGITUDINALLY THROUGH THE MACHINE, A PORTION OF SAID SUPPORT COMPRISING A COMPARATIVELY NARROW RUNWAY FOR THE CANS, SIDE WALLS OF THE MOVING CANS ON THE RUNWAY EXTENDING BEYOND AND FROM EACH SIDE OF THE RUNWAY FORMING CAN WALL EXTENDING PERTIONS, MEANS FOR APPLYING GLUE TO SAID EXTENDING PORTIONS COMPRISING A GLUE POT HAVING GANGS OF GLUE FEEDING DISCS WITH MEANS FOR HOLDING THE DISCS OF EACH GANG IN FIXED ASSEMBLED RELATION, MEANS FOR HEATING THE GLUE POT, MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY SUPPORTING THE GLUE POT LONGITUDINALLY OF THE MACHINE COMPRISING DEPENDING BEARING BRACKETS HAVING BEARING ENGAGEMENT WITH A PAIR OF TOOTHED RACK BARS VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE BY SUPPORTING MEANS AT THEIR OPPOSITE ENDS ON THE MACHINE FOR SUPPORTING THE GLUE POT, LONGITUDINAL SHIELDS POSITIONED OVER THE TOOTHED RACK BARS FIXEDLY SUPPORTED AT THEIR OPPOSITE ENDS TO THE SUPPORTING MEANS FOR THE TOOTHED RACK BARS, EACH OF SAID SHIELDS PASSING THROUGH CERTAIN OF SAID BEARING BRACKETS WITHOUT INTERFERING WITH THE LONGITUDINAL ADJUSTMENT OF THE GLUE POT AND THE MOVEMENT OF THE SUPPORTING BRACKETS FOR THE GLUE POT, MEANS FOR MOVING THE GLUE POT ALONG THE PAIR OF TOOTHED RACK BARS COMPRISING A PAIR OF PINIONS ENMESHED RESPECTIVELY WITH THE RACK BARS.
 2. In a can labeling machine haviNg a feed belt for feeding cans through the machine, means for supporting and guiding the cans through the machine, means for applying label pickup glue to the side walls of the cans, means for supporting a label pack whereby the label pickup end of the pack is sufficiently high to allow the glue treated cans to successively pick the labels up, means for feeding and maintaining the top of the label pack in label pickup position as the labels are removed by intermittently moving the label pack upward by minute separate upward feeding strokes, means for applying paste to the lap ends of the labels at the top of the label pack comprising a paste pot assembly having a paste belt, paste belt pulley and paste belt scraper, driving means for the paste pot assembly, means for readily disengageing the paste pot and assembly from the driving means, the paste belt and paste belt scraper comprising means of support within the paste pot, the belt scraper comprising a scraper head having an inverted U shaped paste belt engaging and straddling portion providing means for scraping excess paste from both the top and side edges of the belt, the base of the U of the scraper portion comprising front and rear paste passages, means positioned between the passages to control the amount of paste passing from the rear passage and to remain on the belt.
 3. In a can labeling machine, a feed belt for conveying cans through the machine longitudinally, means for guiding the cans through the machine, means for initially applying label pickup glue to the cans, a lap end pasting mechanism comprising a paste pot, a paste belt, a pulley for supporting the paste belt, means for driving the paste belt and pulley, a reservoir of paste in the pot, means whereby the paste belt picks up paste from the paste pot, a paste belt scraper having means for removing excess paste from the belt and allowing a predetermined amount of paste to remain on the belt, comprising a pivotally supported head structure having paste scraping engagement with the belt, the underside of the belt having a support below the scraper head, the scraper head at its area of contact with the paste belt comprising front and rear slots for the passage of paste, an adjustable paste quantity control valve interposed and positioned between the slots comprising means for controlling the amount of paste passing through the rear slot for purposes of forming a remaining ribbon of paste on the belt of a predetermined size, the control valve having positioning, guiding and supporting walls within the scraper head with relative movement with the walls, means for carrying and introducing a freeing agent between certain of said walls and the control valve to prevent the valve from freezing and becoming stuck to the walls due to the drying out of the paste and the like, the said pivotal support for the scraper providing means for giving the scraper head a swinging relation with the paste belt.
 4. In a can labeling machine comprising a longitudinal runway for supporting the cans on their sidewall and a belt feed positioned above the runway for moving the cans over the runway, at least a portion of the runway being narrower than the length of the sidewall of the cans allowing the ends of the side walls of the cans to extend outwardly from each side of the narrow portion of the runway as the cans roll there along, means for applying glue to the extended portions of the can as they are rolled along the runway for picking up a single label from a stack of labels comprising a glue pot having gangs of glue feeding discs, means for heating said glue pot and means for supporting the glue pot below the said runway, means associated with the glue pot supporting means for adjusting the glue pot both vertically and horizontally relative to the said runway, a paste pot assembly positioned below the runway adjacent the rear end of the runway having a continuous running paste delivery belt positioned perpendicular to the runway and above the trailing end of stack of lAbles carried by the labeling machine, said paste belt adapted to deliver paste to the said trailing end of each of the labels as the label is finally withdrawn from the stack, a paste belt scraper comprising a scraper head having an inverted U shaped paste belt engaging and straddling portion means for scraping excess paste from both the top and side edges of the belt, the base of the U of the scraper portion comprising front and rear passages, means positioned between the passages to control the amount of paste passing from the rear passage and to remain on the belt and means for readily disengaging the paste pot assembly from the paste pot driving means. 